Dynamic Tags

Dynamically updating NFC content

Overview

All NFC tags are technically updatable, but traditionally, the
process is awkward and has several troublesome limitations. With
simpler tags that lack cryptographic access control, leaving the
tag in an updatable state also introduces the potential for malicious
tampering by third parties. Additionally, updating a content requires
personnel to physically visit every tag to change its contents.

The term ‘dynamic tag’ is uses to refer to two very different technologies
that make the content updating much easier and more flexible -
active tags and tag redirection.

Active Tags

Active tags refer to “tags” that are not really tags at all; instead,
the tag presents a tag-like RF interface for users to interact with
while having additional control logic to manipulate its contents. This
can either take the form of simple chips that must be paired with a hosting
device to function or full-featured readers such as the TapTrack Tappy operating
in a mode called ‘card emulation.’ While this style of dynamic tag provides the
utmost flexibility, the increased ‘tag’ complexity greatly increases the cost
of the NFC deployment. Handily, for many usages, a tag redirection platform can
provide most of the same functionality at a fraction of the cost and without
introducing any additional hardware complexity.

Tag Redirection

Tag redirection works by encoding a unique URL onto each tag that links to a
service in the cloud. This service then serve content or redirect requests as
necessary to serve the content desired. As a result, the cheapest tags can be used
while still providing a fully dynamic solution at the cost of either requiring the
content to be servable through a web browser or the users to have an app installed.
If it sounds like a tag redirection system might fit your requirements, contact us
for a demo of the TapTrack Tag Management Platform, which provides dynamic tag
management as well as live statistic tracking.